Mountain Home man now faces a charge related to a shooting incident

A 27-year-old Mountain Home man arrested early Friday morning on a burglary charge now faces a charge related to a shooting incident, according to an affidavit filed in the case.

Gavin Willis Stutts was arrested early this morning on charges of felony commercial burglary and misdemeanor theft.

In that case, Baxter County deputies responded to a grocery store in Gamaliel after the owner was awakened by her dogs at 2:20 a.m. and saw a man walking around inside the closed store.

While the suspect left before deputies arrived, those deputies reviewed the surveillance tape and recognized Stutts, according to a news release from Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery.

In the video, Stutts could reportedly be seen throwing a rock through a window of the store, entering the store and stealing beer and cigarettes.

Baxter County notified MHPD that Stutts was wanted for the alleged burglary. Officers from the MHPD went to an address on Lucerne Street and located Stutts who was then arrested by deputies at approximately 5:00 a.m..

Two shooting incidents

As Stutts sat in jail, MHPD investigators were still working on a shooting incident that occurred shortly after midnight Friday morning.

In that incident, a suspect shot at an occupied home on Bryant Street. Arriving police officers found two new bullet holes, one through a bedroom window and another through a wall.

The incident was similar to one that occurred in May. At the time of the May incident, the residents of the home were away when the suspect fired five times at the home with bullets striking the front door, living room windows and interior walls.

The residents of the home reported the damage upon arriving home but told police they could think of no reason someone would shoot at their house.

A deputy saw the truck driving away after the shooting and was able to get a partial license plate number. Officers from the MHPD found a truck matching the description at Walmart unoccupied.

Inside, they could see 9mm shell casings. They called Stutts, the owner of the truck. Stutts went to Walmart and spoke with officers.

After he was read his Miranda Rights, Stutts reportedly told the officers he got drunk and shot his pistol at his parents farm. Stutts said he had no recollection of shooting at a home and had no reason to be angry with anyone at the home, according to the affidavit.

However, after the shooting early Friday morning shortly after midnight, the residents of the home revealed there was an incident of a personal nature involving Stutts and a resident of the home. That incident provided investigators with a motive and a reason to believe Stutts could be responsible for both shooting incidents.

After discussing the case with the prosecutor, police leveled two felony charges each of aggravated assault and terroristic act against Stutts.

As of Friday afternoon, Stutts was being held without bond, according to electronic jail records.